Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1887-03-25

Africa.
In 1886, after trip as newspaper
correspondent in Turkey and Asia
Minor, he revisited Wales and gave a
dinner to the children of st, Asaph's,
and told them what st. Asaph's had
done for him.
Stanley appears in the picture which
faces the title page of the second vol
umo of his Through the Dark Cont
net, with white hair, which must have
been very becoming to his ruddy face.
A youthful countcnance is often made
much more attractive, especially If the
features are somewhat hard and coarse,
as in the case of our hero, if the softening,
mellowing influence of full crown of
white hair accompanies it. II gives an
| air of dignity and distinction which
otherwise we would sometimes miss in
young men whose names are associated
with great deeds. 1t is as crown of
honor and wisdom and gentleness.
Stanlcy's life in the wilds of Africa
among wild beasts and wild tribes
with the comforts, the society, the in
fluence of civilization entirely wanting,
in almost constant peril from variety
of sources, and entirely absorbed in the
great task before him, offered little op-
portunity for the cultivation of the
graces, the sympathies, the amenities
of refined existence though he has had
plenty of royal and noble society in
Europe. A mans face must reflect in
some degree the character of his COM
panionship and experiences, and so it
is with Stanley's.
The characteristic which most inn
presses you before he begins to talk, is
dogged determination. You see it in
the lines of his firm-set chin, in the
full, bull-dog-likc checks, in the care
lcssly cropped hair, in the short,
compact, iron frame, and in the
full, well-hardcned muscles. You see
still more of this dogged determination
in the play of the muscles of the mouth
in speech, which constitutes his chief
facial expression. He should have
clear, penetrating eyes, but must
confess | neither noticed or thought of
his eyes whenI saw him and heard him
speak last December. His figure, his
bearing, his quick commanding tones,
his chin and his mouth, especially the
mouth, seemed to me, rs | looked and
listencd-for men will listen when
Stanley talks-to be the decisive ele-
mcnts in the makeup of the man.
His hair and mustache, are now the
hue of the raven, and yet color-art
does not proclaim itself to the unin-
formed observer. Why he should
think it worth while to practice this
little deception cannot imagine. He
could not possibly look like an old man
with so ruddy comtenance; and the
effect of white hair would only bright
en- its pleasing, healthful glow. But
Stanley has as good right to whim
or two as other men. He might have
fancics far more Objectionable.
The picture l have spoken of repre-
sents him rs he appeared in 1877, soon
after he emerged on the West Coast
from his terrible experience on the
Congo with ferocious savagcs and
famine. The difference between
this and the picture in the
first volume of the same work
taken in England, in 1874, before he
started on his memorable jour.
ney from ocean to ocean. is most
striking. In those three years (thC
time occupied from Zanzibar to tho
mouth of the Congo was nine hundred
dan ninety-nine days., his hair became
white under the awful strain, and
lines of struggle as if with age and dis
ease were stamped upon his face.
His visit to this country last fall was
not for rest and renewal of old ac-
quaintance. Whatever ties he may
have had here before he went aboard
in the employ of the New York Herald,
time, his long absence, and the nature
of his pursuits must have weakened OF
servercd, and he is too much of a
cosmopolitan to suffer much from
home-sickmess. When he is not on
the Congo, or in the heart of the Dark
COllllHcHl, Hc Is III lol'tbh VI Ol tllc
Continent.
He wrote his last book, "Thc Congo" +"
in London, after the close of the fam
Gus international conference, at which
the scheme of the Congo Free
State and of the free zone was
considered and approved. Stan
ley is not at ease when he
is at rest. When he returned to Eu-
rope from his trip through Africa,
"slowly recovering from the effects OF
the famine and fatigue endured on that
long journey" his only desire was ''a
long rest and sleep" and after he had
written his book, Through the Dark
Continent" he determined to indulge
in the "luxury of lounging." But a
short trial of the most approved Paris
ian plan convinced him, he says, that it
was productive of nothing but loss of
time, health and usefulness" He tried
famous seaside resorts with no better
results, and finally went to Switzer-
land, where by indulging in plenty of
walking and climbing he regaincd his
health and spirits in three weeks.
with restored health, liberty be-
came insipid and joyless, and the lux
ury of lounging unbearable," and he
was soon in negotiation with commits
sioners of King Leopold for another
trip to the Congo, and the accomplish
ment of one of the most difficult feats
ever attempted in Africa, the building
of highway around the cataracts of
the Lower Congo to Stanley Pool.
The object for which he came to
America was TO add to his fnancial
resources. He had planned lecture
tour in America and Australia, which
would have proved very remunerative,
if Belgium's King had not interrupted
it at the very beginning with peremp-
tory order to return at once, which
Stanley, though a sort of despot him.